How to Find Out How Your Social Security Claim Is Going

Social Security is a federal benefits program in the United States that involves a wide range of services including retirement benefits and disability income. When someone applies for benefits under one of these programs, a claim is filed with the agency and the agency decides whether to approve the applicant's request. The two most common claims -- for retirement benefits after age 65 or for financial assistance following a disability -- take an average of up to six months to complete, but checking the status of a claim after it has been filed can be a simple process.

Contact your local Social Security office. Find the address and phone number of your nearest office by visiting the Social Security Online website (see Resources), or call the toll-free national office at 800-772-1213. If you have an attorney working on your claim, check with your attorney first.

Check the status of your application online at Social Security Online. Click the "Check the status of your application" tab, and enter your information as prompted.

Check with the agency that is assisting the Social Security Administration with your application if your claim is in the appeals or reconsideration phase. For instance, check with your state's Office of Disability Adjudication and Review if your claim is a disability claim under appeal. Check with the Department of Labor's Employee Benefits Security Administration for appeals relating to retirement benefits.

Tips & Warnings

You should check the status of your claim about three months after you filed your application or appealed for reconsideration. Most claims take between three and six months to process.